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Love and Marriage: 7 Guys Who Don’t Make Good Husbands

All sorts of guys make wonderful husbands. And then there are some who would be anything but. Ladies, I caution you not to marry these men

The Guy Who Broke Your Heart and Never Really Apologized Just because he sees love and marriage in your future doesn’t mean he’s sorry for hurting you that one time (or two or three times). Though everyone screws up, being able to admit when you’re wrong--and being with someone who can do the same--is crucial to a happy marriage. For my fellow “Friends” lovers: Ross and Rachel may have wound up together, but you can be sure the “We were on a break!” conversation still haunts them.

The Cheater I don’t necessarily believe in “Once a cheater, always a cheater,” but I have a hard time believing you’ll be happy if you marry a repeat offender--especially if you were the cheated-on. Admit it: A small part of you would never be able to trust him. What kind of marriage is that?

The Me-First Man A big part of love and marriage is being able to put yourself second sometimes. Guys who are too occupied with themselves to do the occasional (and preferably, frequent!) nice thing for you don’t make solid partners.

The Con Artist You may have swooned when he swindled his evil boss and made some quick cash. No matter how much the jerky superior deserved it, your guy just showed he can’t be trusted. Even if he’d never do the same to you, con-men are shady characters, and you never know when you might wind up in hot water for his actions.

The Addicted-to-Work Worker Being ambitious is admirable. Working 60-hour weeks every week? Maybe when he’s just starting out and it’s the only option to get ahead (my lawyer friends come to mind). If he loves his job more than he loves being with you (as in, he anticipates working crazy hours for the rest of his life, whether or not you like it), you won’t be the happiest wife on the block. It’s not much fun having a partner if he’s never ever around.

and His Opposite: the Lazy Bum Maybe you can’t wait to be the sole breadwinner and have a house-husband. But said husband has to contribute in some way to making your home a happy one, whether he cooks, cleans, or cares for any kids you may have together. You’ll grow frustrated with a guy who does nothing more than sit on the couch.

The Can’t-Handle-Tough-Times Guy I hate to be the one to tell you this, but love and marriage aren’t always easy--there’s a reason you have to promise to stay together for better or worse. A man who shuts down when the going gets tough won’t be there when you need him most. Trust me: You don’t want a husband you can’t count on.

What other types of men do you think aren’t worthy of love and marriage? Would you marry any of the above guys anyway? ‘Fess up: Do your guys fall into any of these categories?